Navigating Tariff Uncertainty for Canadian Restaurants with Jay Ashton | 057

Uncertainty seems to be the only certainty in today's restaurant industry. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sit down with Jay Ashton, Canada's Restaurant Guy, to discuss how Canadian restaurants can adapt to tariffs and economic challenges. Jay shares practical strategies from his 35-year career. These go beyond simply raising prices to tactics like creating salads without lettuce and developing multiple revenue streams through newsletters and digital merchandising. Whether you're concerned about the current tariff situation or looking for always-relevant business advice for navigating uncertain times, Jay's approaches and timeless wisdom offer valuable insights for restaurants looking to thrive during economic shifts.ResourcesConnect with Jay on LinkedIn 🔗Site: Canada's Restaurant Guy 🍁Listen to The Late Night Restaurant Show 🌃Strategies to offset tariffs newsletter 📰Latest Updates on Canadian Tariffs | restaurantscanada.org 🇨🇦Chapters0:00 - Introduction to Jay Ashton, Canada's restaurant guy2:00 - Understanding the tariff situation for Canadian restaurants4:00 - The impact of tariffs on restaurant inventory and pricing7:30 - Menu innovation: "You can make salads without lettuce"8:15 - The flex burger: Reducing costs through creative protein options9:00 - Using the "why column" to evaluate every menu ingredient12:00 - Preparing your business without panicking14:00 - Cash flow is king: Smart inventory management16:30 - Technology solutions for tracking costs and inventory19:00 - Communicating price changes to your customers22:00 - Why restaurants need five revenue streams25:00 - Newsletter marketing as an additional revenue source31:00 - Using Uber Eats as an e-commerce platform33:30 - Developing CPG product lines and merchandise35:45 - Final advice: Don't panic, have a planSend us Fan Mail📲 Connect with usEmail usFollow on LinkedInMore 7shiftsSpotify | Apple Podcasts | Google PodcastsSubscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter7shifts on YouTubeFollow us on TikTokRead the 7shifts BlogAbout Us7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for over 50,000 restaurants.